Jose, of San Diego, CA, was the victim of a terrible theft: his uninsured truck, full of the tools he needs for work, was stolen from his driveway one night.

As the truck and its contents represented Jose’s family’s livelihood, the family was devastated. Wanting to help, Nextdoor member Sylvia, who employs Jose’s wife as her housekeeper, turned to Facebook to ask friends and family for donations of tools to help restock his supply. The response was lukewarm. Then, Sylvia turned to Nextdoor to ask her neighbors if they could help. She was overwhelmed by the response.

Neighbors who had never met Jose’s family came forward with power drills, grinders, a brand new nail gun, a ladder, an air compressor, a tool chest, and a tool belt – and one person even donated a $300 gift card to Home Depot. In all, Sylvia delivered two van-loads of tools to Jose.

Jose’s family was moved to tears by the outpouring of support from the community. While the neighborhood is still trying to find a replacement truck for Jose, with his tool chest refilled, he was able to return to work and provide for his family again.